*********** Meaningful shifts of positions 
local j = 1
while `j' <= 27 {
generate random = runiform()
sort random

* shift to next higher meaningful value
replace country`j'=country`j'+25  in 1/2 if 		   		 country`j'!=. & issue_cat==1 /* all values */
replace country`j'=country`j'+25  in 1/2 if country`j'<50  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==2 /* 0-25-50-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'+50  in 1/2 if country`j'==50 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==2
replace country`j'=country`j'+25  in 1/2 if country`j'!=25 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==3 /* 0-25-75-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'+50  in 1/2 if country`j'==25 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==3
replace country`j'=country`j'+50  in 1/2 if country`j'==0  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==4 /* 0-50-75-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'+25  in 1/2 if country`j'>=50 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==4
replace country`j'=country`j'+25  in 1/2 if country`j'==0  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==5 /* 0-25-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'+75  in 1/2 if country`j'==25 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==5 
replace country`j'=country`j'+50  in 1/2 if 		         country`j'!=. & issue_cat==6 /* 0-50-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'+75  in 1/2 if country`j'==0  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==7 /* 0-75-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'+25  in 1/2 if country`j'==75 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==7
replace country`j'=country`j'+100 in 1/2 if 		         country`j'!=. & issue_cat==8 /* 0-100 */

* shift to next lower meaningful value
replace country`j'=country`j'-25  in 3/4 if 			      country`j'!=. & issue_cat==1 /* all values */
replace country`j'=country`j'-25  in 3/4 if country`j'<=50  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==2 /* 0-25-50-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'-50  in 3/4 if country`j'==100 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==2
replace country`j'=country`j'-25  in 3/4 if country`j'!=75  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==3 /* 0-25-75-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'-50  in 3/4 if country`j'==75  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==3
replace country`j'=country`j'-50  in 3/4 if country`j'==50  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==4 /* 0-50-75-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'-25  in 3/4 if country`j'>50   & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==4
replace country`j'=country`j'-25  in 3/4 if country`j'==25  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==5 /* 0-25-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'-75  in 3/4 if country`j'==100 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==5 
replace country`j'=country`j'-50  in 3/4 if 			      country`j'!=. & issue_cat==6 /* 0-50-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'-75  in 3/4 if country`j'==75  & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==7 /* 0-75-100 */
replace country`j'=country`j'-25  in 3/4 if country`j'==100 & country`j'!=. & issue_cat==7
replace country`j'=country`j'-100 in 3/4 if 			      country`j'!=. & issue_cat==8 /* 0-100 */

* change values to lower and upper boundary
replace country`j'=100 if country`j'>100 
replace country`j'=0   if country`j'<0 

drop random
local j = `j' + 1
}